Vibration isolator for an appliance motor having internal silencing voids

Abstract

A laundry appliance includes a cabinet. A rotating drum is positioned within the cabinet. A blower directs process air through an airflow path. The airflow path includes the drum. A motor is coupled to the cabinet via a retaining bracket. The motor includes a drive shaft operably coupled to one of the drum and the blower. A damping ring is positioned about the drive shaft and between the motor and the retaining bracket. Damping apertures are defined within a body of the damping ring. The damping apertures define respective voids that absorb operational vibrations generated by the motor in an activated state.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A laundry appliance comprising:
 a cabinet; 
 a rotating drum positioned within the cabinet; 
 a blower that directs process air through an airflow path, the airflow path including the drum; 
 a motor coupled to the cabinet via a retaining bracket, the motor including a drive shaft operably coupled to one of the drum and the blower; 
 a damping ring positioned about the drive shaft and between the motor and the retaining bracket, wherein damping apertures are defined within a body of the damping ring, the damping apertures defining respective voids that absorb operational vibrations generated by the motor in an activated state; and 
 opposing contoured portions of each damping aperture, wherein the opposing contoured portions are operable between a separated state and an engaged state, wherein the separated state is characterized by the opposing contoured portions being separated from one another to absorb low-amplitude operational vibrations generated by the motor in the activated state, and wherein the engaged state is characterized by the opposing contoured portions engaging one another during high-amplitude vibrations generated at least by an unbalanced condition of the drum. 
 
     
     
       2. The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the voids are positioned around an interior portion of the body. 
     
     
       3. The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the voids are spaced around the drive shaft. 
     
     
       4. The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein each void is defined between an outer ring of the body and an inner protrusion of the body. 
     
     
       5. The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the drive shaft extends from opposing sides of the motor to engage separate operating mechanisms positioned within the cabinet, and wherein each side of the motor includes respective damping apertures extending between the motor and the retaining bracket. 
     
     
       6. The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the retaining bracket is coupled to the cabinet. 
     
     
       7. The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the motor is a belt-drive motor and a drive belt extends around the drive shaft. 
     
     
       8. The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the damping ring includes four distinct voids positioned evenly about the drive shaft. 
     
     
       9. The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the damping ring is an elastomeric member. 
     
     
       10. A laundry appliance comprising:
 an interior structure; 
 a motor coupled to the interior structure via a retaining bracket, the motor including a drive shaft operably coupled to at least one rotational operating mechanism; 
 an elastomeric damping ring positioned about the drive shaft and between the motor and the retaining bracket, wherein damping apertures are defined within a body of the elastomeric damping ring that form voids that extend through an interior of the body, wherein,
 each viod includes at least one contoured portion that selectively engages an opposing section of the void; 
 the at least one contoured portion and the opposing section being operable between a separated state and an engaged state; 
 the separated state configured to absorb low-intensity operational vibrations produced by the motor; and 
 
 in response to high-intensity vibrations the at least one contoured portion and the opposing section selectively engage one another to define the engaged state that forms an enhanced damping structure. 
 
     
     
       11. The laundry appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the interior structure includes at least one of a cabinet and a tub. 
     
     
       12. The laundry appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one rotational operating mechanism includes at least one of a rotating drum, a blower and a fluid pump. 
     
     
       13. The laundry appliance of  claim 10 , wherein each void is defined between an outer ring of the body and an inner protrusion of the body. 
     
     
       14. The laundry appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the drive shaft extends from opposing sides of the motor to engage separate rotational operating mechanisms positioned within a cabinet, and wherein each side of the motor includes respective damping mechanisms extending between the motor and the retaining bracket. 
     
     
       15. The laundry appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the elastomeric damping ring includes four distinct voids positioned evenly about the drive shaft. 
     
     
       16. A laundry appliance comprising:
 a cabinet; 
 a rotating drum positioned within the cabinet; 
 a blower that directs process air through an airflow path, the airflow path including the drum; 
 a motor coupled to the cabinet via a retaining bracket, the motor including a drive shaft extending through opposing sides of the motor and operably coupled to the drum and the blower; 
 damping rings positioned about the drive shaft and at the opposing sides of the motor, wherein the damping rings are positioned between the motor and the retaining bracket, wherein damping voids extend through a body of the damping rings; and 
 opposing contoured portions of the damping voids that define a separated state apart from one another that absorbs low-amplitude operational vibrations generated by the motor in an activated state, and wherein the opposing contoured portions of the damping voids selectively engage one another to define an engaged state in response to high-amplitude vibrations generated at least by an unbalanced condition of the rotating drum, wherein the engaged state operates to absorb the high-amplitude vibrations. 
 
     
     
       17. The laundry appliance of  claim 16 , wherein each of the damping voids is surrounded by an aperture having a void surface that defines the corresponding damping void.